Charlotte's tale
by lilredrose
Summary: This is a story of a young girl named Charlotte who finds herself lost, She stumbles by the good old folks of walnut grove who manage to put her back on her feet.
1. The miracle find

Title: The miracle find

Rating: K+

Chapter: 1

Summary: This story is set by the T.V series; it is based on the time where Mary, Laura and Carrie are still only young.

Disclaimer: I do not own little house on the prairie or any of the characters involved.

Charlotte opened her eyes, to see a blackened sky with not one star alight. She rolled over and realized that she was outside, in the darkness. Nothing but her growing baby for company. Charlotte yawned and covered the old rag over her body.

Sunlight showered on the scrap of dirt where Charlotte laid. The dust road was all she had ahead of her, making her way around, trying to find somewhere, where she could find shelter. Charlotte managed to move herself and slowly get up. She saw birds flying happily with their wings so healthy and strong.

Charlotte packed up the few supplies she had and slowly started walking, anywhere she could find food. She felt so useless, lonely and fragile. She was 6 months pregnant and barley ate a thing everyday, her father had done this to her, he threw her out when she announced she was pregnant with her boyfriend. Her father didn't know how much they loved each other; it had been for what seemed an age since she had seen her boyfriend or anyone.

Charlotte trembled at every step she took, the sun was beaming down on her and dehydration was really taking its toll, she could hardly breathe. Charlotte glanced up ahead but only saw dirt, not even a tree or a shrub was in distance. She collapsed and cringed as her frail body hit the hard dirt ground.

Charles and Mr. Edwards sang happily as they went to fulfill a shipment.

"Old Dan tucker, Old Dan tucker"

Charles and Mr. Edwards were happy as it was the last shipment until Christmas break, where they could spend a few days just with their families.

"So you wouldn't know what a fair lady like Grace would like for Christmas would ya?"

Mr. Edwards bellowed.

Charles laughed. "I'm having it hard enough to find a present for Caroline, I asked her what she would like but she refused, she said that she had everything that she wanted."

Mr. Edwards shook his head "Well it's only about 6 days till Christmas so I was thinking about looking around in Sleepy eye."

Charles smiled "Well sure, they always have the latest gifts and presents, I think I might just find a present their too!"

Mr. Edwards started singing again as their destination grew closer and closer.

The sun was just a small semicircle when Charles and Mr. Edwards finally decided to call it a day and make a camp on the side of the road.

Charles took out the generous amount of stew that Caroline had prepared before their journey, while Mr. Edwards was trying to make a fire.

A crack of light lit and Mr. Edwards smiled as he smelt the stew already.

"Mmm, smells delicious, Caroline makes a great Stew." Mr. Edwards's said

Charles agreed and in no time their meal was on their plates all steamy and warm.

They ate it and washed it down with coffee and finally went to bed, for the early start in the morning.

Charlotte had managed to get herself up and walking again, the smell of food lured her. Her mouth watered as she eagerly dragged herself along. Yes she thought I might get a decent meal.

Charlotte had traveled into the night for what seemed to be hours when she came along a tree. She saw a small light and rushed over to it. There was a pot of stew all wrapped up, a wagon and a team of horses. By what she could see there were no people in sight so she helped herself to the food that was now cold. Charlotte scoffed down the stew until she could almost see the bottom. She heard a noise and tried to run away, but two men grabbed her and dragged her back to their camp.

"What do you think you're doing?" Charles yelled.

Charlotte shook as tears ran down her face. "I...I...I was only wanting some food!"

Mr. Edwards just about felt sorry for the young girl. "Well ya didn't have to go stealing it!"

Charlotte looked away "Well... I didn't know anyone was there."

"We were sleeping behind the wagon." Charles argued furiously.

Charles looked up and down at the girl. "Where are your parents?"

Charlotte started crying heavily "There not here, they kicked me out."

Mr. Edwards sighed "Well how old are ya?"

Charlotte stuttered "I'm 17 y…years old"

Charles felt sympathy sweep over him for this girl. "Why did they kick you out?"

Charlotte didn't reply. She fainted in Mr. Edwards's arms.

Charles was making a bed for her, when Mr. Edwards shouted for him to come over.

"Yes." Charles replied.

Mr. Edwards drew back her rags to ravel a growing stomach. "This girl is going to have a baby!"

To be continued


	2. Befuddled times

Title: Befuddled times

Rating: K+

Chapter: 2

Summary: This story is set by the T.V series; it is based on the time where Mary, Laura and Carrie are still only young.

Disclaimer: I do not own little house on the prairie or any of the characters involved.

Brief Overview: Charles and Isaiah have found a lost girl on one of their delivering trips. They have just discovered this girl is pregnant and very weak.

Charles glazed blankly at the girl. He suddenly realized why she had been kicked out and a sense of pity rushed over him for this poor youngin.

Mr. Edwards gently laid the girl on the bed they had made; she fidgeted but fell quite when they tucked her in. Charles and Mr. Edwards stayed up talking about the girl who had all so suddenly come into their lives.

Charles sighed "What are we going to do with her; she's just a child not much older then Mary"

Mr. Edwards replied "We can't just leave her, she's fighting for her life, we have to take her to back to Walnut Grove with us, she's not meant to be stressing with her condition and all. She'd be due in about two months."

Charles agreed and they both decided that rest is what they all needed, they quickly fell asleep. .

The sun rose and Mr. Edwards and Charles had suddenly realized that they had found a girl and quickly scurried up to see if she was still there.

They passed the wagon and saw a bed with a tired child still sleeping peacefully.

Mr. Edwards quickly made a breakfast for everyone before she awoke.

Charlotte opened her eyes to see Charles sitting beside her.

"What, Where am I, Who are you?" She began

Charles replied "We found you last night, you took some of the stew, remember?"

Charlotte remembered and said a small sorry for all the trouble she caused.

"So what is your name?" Charles asked.

"My name is Charlotte, Charlotte Bryan." She replied.

Charles smiled "Well would you like some breakfast?"

Charlotte accepted the large bowl of scrambled eggs that Mr. Edwards had especially made.

Charles asked Charlotte how long she had been kicked out for, Charlotte couldn't really tell but she said it had to be at least three weeks.

Charles spoke "We want to take you back with us to Walnut Grove after we deliver this to Sleepy eye. You are in no condition to be out alone and hungry. You aren't even meant to be sitting in a rocky wagon, but we have to get you to a suitable place somehow."

Charlotte had nothing to do but gratefully accept the offer that these men had kindly made. Charles and Mr. Edwards packed up their stuff and in no time were rushing to Sleepy eye. Time passed and they had finally reached their destination. Charles quickly unloaded the wood while Mr. Edwards helped Charlotte off.

"Do ya mind if ya help me out?" Mr. Edwards asked.

Charlotte smiled "Well sure, anything."

"Well I want to buy you a new dress and I want you to help me out with a Christmas present to buy for my wife."

Charlotte smiled "Well I can help you with one thing you asked, I'm sure I can help you pick out a nice present for your wife, but don't worry about me, these clothes are just fine."

Mr. Edwards laughed. "Looky here young lady. If you call a tattered and torn dress that is a bit tight around your middle a fine dress, I'm wearing a suit of armor. I'm going to buy you a new dress and that's that!"

Charlotte chuckled "If you insist, I'll pay you back….somehow"

Mean while Charles was busily unloading the wagon by himself as he insisted that Mr. Edwards go and find a present for his wife.

Twenty minutes passed and Mr. Edwards came chuckling along with a girl grinning with a brand new dress on. Charles was laughing as he waited for his friend.

Mr. Edwards thanked Charles for letting him take Charlotte around the town. Charles helped Charlotte into the wagon while Mr. Edwards hoped in the other side.

"Now you wouldn't guess what I got Grace!" Mr. Edwards grinned.

Charles smiled "Well..?"

Mr. Edwards replied "Charlotte suggested the perfect gift; all ladies can never have enough bonnets. When I pointed out the bonnet I liked, the shop keeper said that there was a matching dress for half price! So I got her a dress and a bonnet."

Charles smiled "Well Grace will be stunned!"

The wagon rolled on by when finally the sun went down, they were rushing to Walnut Grove so by the time the sun had set they were nearly at the small town. Charles suggested that Mr. Edwards and Charlotte come over to his place. Mr. Edwards agreed and in no time they were riding down to the small house.

Laura came running out. "Pa. Pa." she yelled.

"Ma, Pa's here"

Caroline came running out with Carrie following her.

Charles hoped down and kissed all his family.

"Now I want you to meet a special friend of mine."

Laura smiled "Don't be silly we know Mr. Edwards already!"

Charles laughed "No she is a girl."

Mr. Edwards helped Charlotte out of the wagon.

Charles smiled "This Is Charlotte Bryan, we found her all by herself."

Laura noticed she was young and also that she was having a baby. Caroline made a fuss over the poor girl, she ordered Laura to take Charlotte into the house while she made a decent meal for everyone. Laura gently helped Charlotte into a chair.

Charlotte thanked Laura as Laura sat down next to her.

Laura asked many questions but finally got told off by her pa as he asked everyone to come and eat their supper.

Charlotte eagerly ate the food. "You are a very good cook ma'm." She said

Caroline smiled "Thank you, you can call me Mrs. Ingalls."

Charlotte grinned "O.k."

They gratefully dug into their food, Charlotte beamed at Carrie. Soon she thought I will have a child.

A day had gone by and it was a day before Christmas Eve. Everyone was hiding away their presents to surprise their loved ones on the big day. Charlotte felt a little left out because she felt she owed a lot to these kind people, she didn't have a cent to spend on them for Christmas. She knew she had to find something but, how could she?


	3. A job for Charlotte

Title: A job for Charlotte

Rating: K+

Chapter: 3

Summary: This story is set by the T.V series; it is based on the time where Mary, Laura and Carrie are still only young.

Disclaimer: I do not own little house on the prairie or any of the characters involved.

Brief Overview: Charlotte has just been introduced to the Ingalls family. She is a little insecure.

A few days had gone by and Charlotte demanded for Caroline to give her something to do, to let her help out. Caroline reluctantly agreed and sent Charlotte with a chore.

Charlotte went down the road to deliver the eggs to the mercantile when an idea came into her head. She had seen a sign on the door of the post office offering work to a lady who could help deliver the post as it would be very busy. Charlotte stopped at the post office first. She gently knocked on the door and a grinning Grace came to greet her.

"Why, hi there Charlotte, what may I do for you?" Grace beamed.

Charlotte smiled at the generosity in her friend's voice. "Well, being nearly Christmas, I.I well I wanted some money to buy presents and to pay back all the people that have helped me out. So I was wondering if I could take up the job you had in your window."

Grace smiled, but looked a bit disappointed. "Well it is a job where you'll need your own team or you could walk. But I'm afraid you are in no condition to walk miles."

Charlotte looked down "Is there anything I could do, even for 50c, just a little money."

Grace felt sorry for the girl but she had not a single job that Charlotte could manage.

"I'm truly sorry Charlotte; maybe you could try asking the mercantile, I'm sure Nels would be glad to offer you a small job."

Charlotte thanked Grace for her time and set off for the mercantile.

Mrs. Olseon smiled as Charlotte walked in. "Well now what do we have here?"

Charlotte uncomfortably smiled "Hi I'm Charlotte and I'm here to deliver Mrs. Ingalls eggs, and to also ask for a job."

Mrs. Olseon smirked "I don't think we will be able to hire you, with your condition and all..." She took the eggs and counted them.

Charlotte walked around the room, admiring all the gifts and supplies. "I could clean…or do any basic job."

Mrs. Olseon shook her head "No, it just won't do..." Nels came bustling in the room with a whole box of new supplies.

"Hi there, is it Charlotte?"

Charlotte smiled and nodded.

"Well, what brings you here?" Nels asked

Charlotte looked down. "Well it was to deliver eggs….and also ask for a job, but your wife has clearly declined."

Nels frowned at Harriet. "Well I'm sure we can get you a job, we are very busy and would appreciate another set of hands."

Harriet looked appalled "No, no, no she won't be of any help!"

Nels sighed "There's many things she could do, like wrap the supplies and clean and well just doing things around the store."

Charlotte interrupted "Yes, but I'll only need it for tomorrow, I'll work all day."

Nels smiled "There you go Harriet she only wants to help out tomorrow and that will be a very busy day!"

Harriet sniggered and walked off. Whispering "for heavens sake." Under her breath.

Charlotte smiled.

Nels looked up. "Please excuse my wife, she can be bad tempered."

Charlotte had forgotten about Mrs. Olseon and was clearly concerned about her new job.

Nels smiled "I will give you 50c for a hard days work. The tasks will include cleaning, minding the store, wrapping supplies and of course delivering small packages to the local area."

Charlotte couldn't think of anything better to do. She gladly accepted his generous offer and set of back to the Ingalls house.

Charlotte rushed inside and gladly told Caroline and Mary of her new job. Caroline was concerned at first but later seeing how excited Charlotte was it was hard to refuse her happy face. Charlotte had been at the Ingalls for barely a week and Caroline had already begun to mother her.

The sun was beginning to set and Charlotte was helping Caroline bath Carrie.

Carrie played happily as she sat and was fussed over by Charlotte. Caroline smiled.

"Well I'll have to teach you how to bath a baby and feed it and all that kind of stuff when your baby comes."

Charlotte grinned and hugged Caroline. "I hope I can do it."

Caroline looked surprised "You will be a great mother."

Charlotte looked at her bump and happily hoped that she could be like Caroline. Charlotte sat in the small hut where all the fruits were stored. She changed into her pajamas, which she could only just squeeze into. Her baby was certainly on its way. Charlotte laid awake in the small bed, she felt her baby kick for the first time and was rushing into the Ingalls home and woke Caroline up to see if everything was alright.

Caroline examined Charlotte's belly and felt the harsh kick off the baby inside.

She smiled "Charlotte put your hand right here, she said."

Charlotte stuck her hand on her stomach and smiled as she felt the baby moving around.

Caroline yawned "Well it's really time for bed. You have a big day tomorrow, so you need some rest. Charles is going to the mill straight after breakfast, so he can take you then."

Charlotte agreed and slowly made her way up to the hut and gladly slumped into a dream.

To be continued…


End file.
